Alan Vander Meulen age 95 of Ocheyedan, Iowa passed away Tuesday, April 22nd, at Osceola Senior Living in Sibley.
Visitation will be Sunday, April 27th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Ocheyedan. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 28th, at the Christian Reformed Church in Ocheyedan, with Pastor Lee Khang officiating. Burial will follow in the Ocheyedan Township Cemetery in Ocheyedan.
Arrangements are in the care of the Jurrens Funeral Home of Ocheyedan.
An online registry and full obituary will be available at: www.jurrensfuneralhome.com
Alan Roland Vander Meulen was born on April 11, 1930, at the Ocheyedan Hospital in Ocheyedan, IA. He was the son of Edward and Alice (Koopmans) Vander Meulen. He grew up on several farms near Ocheyedan, where he also attended country school.
At age 19, Alan began his trucking career that spanned over the next 70 years. When introducing himself, he would often say “Hi, I’m Alan Van the truckin’ man” which was a true reflection of who he was at heart. The Lord allowed Alan to keep doing what he loved until he was 89 years old.
On June 29, 1960, he was united in marriage to Norma Humme at the First Reformed Church in Hull, IA. The couple was blessed with four children, Rhonda, Brad, Natalie, and Dawn. Alan was a dedicated husband and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed traveling, camping, attending his children and grandchildren’s activities, and going out to eat on Saturday nights.
Along with his love for trucks, he enjoyed participating in antique tractor pulls, collecting toy tractors and buying/selling antique tractors, and cars. However, his favorite keepsake was his black and white 1955 Chevy car.
Alan was a life-long member of the Ocheyedan Christian Reformed Church, where he served in different roles. His deep faith in God led him to a life of service to many members of his church and community by visiting, reading scripture, and praying with them in their time of need.
Alan will be lovingly remembered by his four children, Rhonda (Kenneth) Weg of Sibley, IA, Bradley Vander Meulen of Ocheyedan, IA, Natalie (Michael) Mulder of Worthington, MN, and Dawn (Brent) Witte of Sioux Falls, SD; twelve grandchildren and four great-granddaughters; one sister, Louise (Ervin) Smidt of Artesia, CA; many nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Alice Vander Meulen; wife, Norma Vander Meulen; six siblings and their spouses, Roy (Minnie) Vander Meulen, Nelvina (Andrew) Bergsma, Berdella (Frank) De Boer, Mildred (Henry) Eversdyk, infant brother, Melvin Edward Vander Meulen, and Edward M. (Ada) Vander Meulen.
